title: Association of learning approaches with academic performance of Sri Lankan first-year dental students.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Primarily deep approach (DA) and surface approach (SA) to learning have been distinguished among students.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We aimed to determine the learning approaches and their association with the academic performance of a batch of 1st-year Sri Lankan dental students.
  
  
  METHODS
  Learning scores of students were calculated using the revised two-factor study process (R-SPQ-2F) questionnaire and they were correlated with the academic performance of students.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The 80.65% of students showed a greater DA score than SA score. Mean values of students' DA and SA scores were 31.79 ± 6.1 and 22.74 ± 5.5, respectively. A positive statistically significant correlation (r = .3, p < .05) was observed only between DA score and marks of Short Answer Questions in anatomy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This sample of students uses both deep and surface learning approaches with more preference to DA than SA. The correlation between learning approaches and academic performance was inconsistent.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Dental Sciences , University of Peradeniya , Peradeniya , Sri Lanka.
authors.forename: Chantha K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Jayawardena
authors.forename: Thushari N
authors.initials: TN
authors.lastname: Hewapathirana
authors.forename: Shyama
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Banneheka
authors.forename: Sajjiv
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ariyasinghe
authors.forename: Dhammika
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ihalagedara
mesh_terms: D004497:Education, Dental; D004521:Educational Measurement; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D013188:Sri Lanka; D013335:Students, Dental; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires